This invention relates generally to the field of fabric spreading machines, and more particularly to a fabric spreading carriage or an attachment for an existing carriage adapted for so-called "face up, one way" operation in a completely automatic manner.
As known in the art, face up operation of the fabric spreading carriage is required when the fabric being spread is not identical on both surfaces thereof, necessitating a disposition of the fabric with like surfaces facing in the same direction. Such is the case when the derived multiple ply marker cut fabric sections are loaded into automated stitching systems without the need for turning over alternate plies. One way spreading is required when, in addition, the face of the fabric being spread consists of a longitudinal unilaterally-oriented design or texture, where by virtue of marker composition it is necessary that the fabric design or texture be oriented in the same direction in all plies of the fabric being spread. To meet the face up requirement, it is not possible to deposit the fabric on the spreading table as a continuous web, the layers of which are interconnected by 180.degree. folds. Instead, with the deposition of each play of fabric, the web is severed at the end of the fabric spreading movement of the carriage over the table, and the following ply is independently positioned to overlie the ply previously spread. Where a substantial amount of one way work is required, it is common to provide in the carriage a turntable means for supporting the fabric supply, which is rotated through 180.degree. at the end of each movement over the table, so that fabric may be laid in both directions with the same side facing upwardly. Spreading in this fashion is relatively expeditious since fabric is being spread in both directions of spreading machine travel. However, it does not provide for one way spreading. Where a turntable was not present it is common to provide an attachment for the carriage through which the fabric web passes. The attachment includes an elongated box having a cutting blade mounted for reciprocation transversely of the path of movement of the carriage. At the completion of the deposition of a singly ply of fabric the cutting means is operative to sever that ply of fabric, following which the carriage returns to the opposite end of the table, and the free edge of the severed web is manually threaded through the cutter box forming a part of the attachment, and a second ply is subsequently deposited upon the first one. Care must be exercised to align the edge of the web with the edge of the previously laid ply, in order not to waste fabric. Where the carriage includes a positively driven driven feed roller, it is customary to disengage the clutch connecting the feed roller with driving means powered by the movement of the carriage over the table, so that the cloth web may be manually adjusted prior to commencement of cloth feed. This operation normally requires the opening of the cutter box, the threading of the web therethrough, the manual closing of the box, the pulling of fabric down to the table to the requisite degree, and the re-engagement of the clutch interconnecting the positive drive feed roll with its driving means. At the opposite end of the table, a limit switch on the carriage strikes a cam adjustably mounted on the table to stop the carriage, which action may automatically activate the web cutting blade in the cutter box, but operations at the first mentioned end of the table have been performed manually with a considerable expenditure of time on the part of skilled personnel.
It has been known in the art to completely automate fabric spreading carriages for continuous web deposition, so that while the device is in operation, little if any supervision on the part of the operator is necessary.